International consultant in peri- & neonatal care - Obstetrician (Team Leader), Sukhumu, Georgia

UNICEF

27d•Hybrid

About The Position

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling. UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package. Visit our website [https://www.unicef.org/] to learn more about what we do at UNICEF. For every child, the right to health How can you make a difference? Background / Purpose of the Assignment The hostilities of 1992–1993, along with the subsequent prolonged isolation, have had enduring negative impacts on the economic and social well‑being of people living in Abkhazia, Georgia. Over the past three decades, the protracted nature of the conflict has hindered development and continues to affect human rights and the living conditions of conflict‑affected communities, including their access to essential social services, human security, and opportunities for sustainable peace. The healthcare system in Abkhazia remains rooted in an outdated, inpatient‑oriented model. Services are delivered across central, district/urban, and rural levels; however, primary healthcare (PHC) facilities - including antenatal care clinics - are often under‑equipped and face shortages of qualified personnel. These gaps lead to frequent referrals to higher levels of care. Significant disparities in the distribution of healthcare workers further constrain service availability, with urban areas comparatively better staffed than rural and remote regions. Only around 19 percent of doctors work in PHC, and opportunities for continuing professional development are extremely limited. Many health workers were trained outside Abkhazia region and lack access to ongoing medical education. At the same time, nurses’ skills remain underutilized, contributing to low public confidence in nursing services. Additional systemic challenges including limited supplies of essential medicines, outdated medical equipment, deteriorated WASH infrastructure, and high out‑of‑pocket costs - further undermine the quality and accessibility of healthcare and discourage timely care‑seeking. Despite the sustained efforts of UNICEF and other international development partners, notable gaps persist across the health sector. Limited availability of essential medicines, shortages of trained personnel, inadequate health data, and constrained capacities for planning and managing health interventions continue to affect access to essential services. These challenges are especially evident in maternal and child health - an essential pillar of public health. In Abkhazia region perinatal services are delivered through one republican maternity hospital in Sukhumi and maternity wards within seven district hospitals (Gagra, Gudauta, Gulrypshi, Gali, Tkuarcheli, and Ochamchyre). However, several facilities operate at reduced capacity due to low delivery numbers and resource constraints. Seven women’s consultation (antenatal) clinics operate in the same locations, but coordination between primary and secondary levels of care (antenatal clinic – maternity – PHC) remains limited, with many services following vertical structures and not sufficiently integrated. UNICEF, as a leading advocate for children’s rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and guided by the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action, implements strategic interventions across health, education, and child protection in Abkhazia, Georgia. UNICEF Georgia has maintained a Field Office in Abkhazia since October 2005. Since 2011, UNICEF has supported the Extended Programme on Immunization (EPI) and has worked with health workers to adopt internationally recognized maternal and child health (MCH) and Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) standards. UNICEF has further contributed to the development of clinical guidelines and the provision of specialized equipment for safe neonatal transport across the administrative boundary line (ABL). A network of health professionals has also been established to support guideline development, trainings, and supportive supervision, particularly within PHC and MCH services. Addressing maternal and child health challenges in low‑resource settings requires a comprehensive, lifecycle‑based approach. In Abkhazia region, the shortage of trained personnel, limited use or absence of evidence‑based clinical standards, and lack of targeted public health interventions pose significant risks to maternal, newborn, and child health. Health workers require strengthened knowledge and skills, supportive supervision - which to date has been implemented only on a pilot basis - and availability of/access to reliable health data. To address these challenges, and within the EU‑funded UNICEF/WHO joint initiative “Support provision of basic health services for conflict‑affected people living in Abkhazia, Georgia,” UNICEF will support the strengthening of risk‑appropriate maternal and neonatal care in the region. The planned interventions will be informed by a comprehensive assessment of the quality of neonatal and obstetric care in Abkhazia, using a methodology that includes analysis of medical documentation, facility inspections, and interviews with medical staff. The assessment will be conducted with ‘Integrated quality of hospital care assessment and improvement tool for maternal and neonatal health’ World Health Organization (2024): https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/379487 [https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/379487]. The assessment will place particular emphasis on the organization of care for sick newborns, including the availability of effective referral and transport pathways and the functionality of intensive care units and availability of structured handover and continuity of care with primary health care settings upon neonatal discharge. It will also focus on the development and integration of priority clinical care protocols, as well as the continued analysis of quality of care to inform a plan of action at both maternity/local and regional levels. Scope of Work: To address the critical needs in peri- and neonatal care in Abkhazia region, UNICEF is recruiting international consultants: 1) Obstetrician/Gynaecologist (Team Leader), Neonatologist and Midwife to work as a team to plan and carry out Assessment of the quality of neonatal and obstetric care in Abkhazia, Georgia using the ‘Integrated quality of hospital care assessment and improvement tool for maternal and neonatal health’, World Health Organization (2024): https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/379487 [https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/379487]. Guided by the team leader, consultants will complete all modules of the tool on-site at the Republican Maternity Hospital in Sukhumi, as well as in the maternity wards of seven district hospitals (Gagra, Gudauta, Gulrypshi, Gali, Tkvarcheli, and Ochamchyre) and in seven women’s consultation (antenatal) clinics in the same locations. The completion of modules and their respective chapters - each addressing specific parameters, will be allocated among team members according to their professional expertise. More specifically, the following dimensions for peri‑ and neonatal care in the region will be assessed: 1. Hospital Resources - availability of essential resources for maternal and newborn care, including: Physical infrastructure and amenities Health management information systems Human resources for health Availability and management of medicines, equipment, and supplies Laboratory services 2. Hospital- Level Policies and Organization of Services covering: Availability, content, and implementation of hospital policies Infection prevention and control Continuous quality improvement Organization of maternal and newborn care Access to hospital care and continuity of care Protection of mother and newborn rights 3. Provision of Health Care Evaluation of case management for common maternal and newborn conditions according to WHO standards: (a) Maternal health: pregnancy, intrapartum, and postpartum care (b) Newborn health: readiness to manage newborns at birth; care for healthy and sick newborns; facility preparedness for advanced newborn care Additional areas to be assessed: Monitoring and follow-up practices for women with obstetric complications Monitoring and follow-up practices for sick newborns 4. Experience of Care Collecting perspectives from mothers and caretakers through structured face-to-face interviews, focusing on: Experience of care received by pregnant women, mothers, caretakers, and newborns Perceptions of the quality and respectfulness of care 5. Motivation and Perspectives of Human Resources Assessment of factors influencing health providers’ ability to deliver quality care, through structured face-to-face staff interviews including: Availability of physical resources Hospital policies on professional development Organization of relevant services 6. Feedback and Action Planning Supporting a standards‑based audit process to: Analyse the overall quality of care at facility level Develop action plans for improvement at both maternity/local and regional levels including: a. Development of effective referral and transport pathways b. Defining the requirements and needs for establishing functional maternal-neonatal intensive care units (ICU). c. Facilitating a formalized discharge handover to primary health care providers to ensure uninterrupted post‑discharge neonatal follow‑up and continuity of care d. Participate in the formulation and integration of the 5 (five) prioritized clinical care protocols, and support continuous quality‑of‑care evaluation to guide evidence‑based action planning. Interested experts should apply for the Obstetrician (Team Leader) role of the assignment indicating lumpsum fee in the Cover Letter. Work Assignment Overview The consultation envisages both online and hybrid modalities (to be detailed as part of the offer), with international travel anticipated. Tasks/Milestones for the Obstetrician/Gynaecologist – Team Leader Overall Coordination and Leadership Oversee the comprehensive assessment of maternal and newborn care quality in Abkhazia, Georgia, ensuring methodological rigor, coordinated teamwork, and alignment with WHO standards. The Team Leader will guide the overall assessment process and development of evidence-based recommendations and a context-appropriate action plan.

Requirements

Medical degree, at least Master’s degree required in Obstetrics/Gynaecology is required. An advanced academic degree will be considered an asset.
A minimum of ten years of clinical experience in the field of Obstetrics/Gynaecology is required.
Proven experience in planning and/or implementing assessments of neonatal and obstetric care quality using WHO assessment tools is required, supported by documented evidence of participation and contributions (e.g., reports, analytical outputs, or reference links).
Demonstrated experience in developing or adapting clinical care protocols in perinatal and neonatal care is required, with supporting documentation (e.g., endorsed clinical protocols from other countries).
Proven experience in delivering training in the relevant fields is required.
Relevant experience working with UNICEF and/or WHO is required.
Fluency in English and Russian is required.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in sensitive or protracted contexts will be considered an advantage.

Responsibilities

Overall coordination and technical leadership of the assessment process.
Develop a comprehensive assessment plan, including site list, team roles, timeline, and logistical requirements.
Lead the contextualization of the assessment tools and checklists, ensuring alignment with local terminology, available medicines, referral pathways, and language needs.
Deliver an introductory presentation of the assessment plan and tools to local stakeholders in the Abkhazia region, including the management and staff of all targeted facilities.
Lead the team of experts in completing the assigned modules of the assessment tool at the following facilities: The Republican Maternity Hospital in Sukhumi Maternity wards of seven district hospitals (Gagra, Gudauta, Gulrypshi, Gali, Tkuarcheli, Ochamchyre) Seven women’s consultation (antenatal) clinics in the same locations
Oversee the finalization of the assessment report with specific emphasis on: a) Development of effective referral and transport pathways. b) Defining the requirements and needs for establishing functional maternal-neonatal intensive care units. c) Facilitating a formalized discharge handover to primary health care providers to ensure uninterrupted post-discharge neonatal follow-up and continuity of care. d) Formulation and integration of five prioritized clinical care protocols.
Lead the adaptation of the five defined clinical care protocols, ensuring alignment with existing clinical excellence and preparing corresponding on-site training materials.
Co-facilitate protocol development workshops with perinatal and neonatal health personnel.
Coordinate inputs from all team members and ensure the timely finalization of all deliverables and end products.